Raise income tax limit for peak rate to Rs 12 lakh: FicciAs the Indian economic growth slowed to a nine-quarter low of 6.9 per cent in the second quarter of this financial year, Ficci has urged the finance ministry to provide more disposable income at the hands of the people by raising the personal income tax slab for the peak rate of 30 per cent in the next budget.

Exiting fixed income funds? Read onůThose getting into debt instruments like short-term funds, ultra short-term funds and income funds may need to extend their investment horizons or pay higher exit loads. The past couple of months have seen 16 such funds either raising their exit loads or increasing the scheme's lock-in period.Buying resale property? Follow the checklistDespite their age, ready property prices are rarely discounted. "Due to the prevalent high real estate prices, generally, the cost of a ready property and an under-construction one are almost par," says Amit Shah, vice-president, indiaproperties.com, a Pune-based property portal. In fact, sometimes, ready properties may even be available at a premium.

November 22, 2011

Smart tips on short term tradingApart from knowing the rules, investors should also understand that short term trading mostly relies on luck and on study, which at best can be termed speculative.

EXPLAINED: The Eurozone's impending disaster!with low interest rates these countries went on a borrowing spree and since they borrowed much more than their repayment capacity is, they are in a mess. Greece is the smallest of these countries and is in the biggest mess.

Tips on how to manage your home loan smartlyTaking informed decisions to manage the asset that we call home and the liability that we call housing loan. By being prudent, you can get high "returns" in the form of saving on interest outflow.All about EMI and loan repaymentIn the current scenario of rising interest rates, it is vital that you understand important elements in the loan-taking process.11 things that you can do through ATMs, nowA visit to an ATM today can help you accomplish myriad value-added transaction services like utility payments, pre-paid mobile re-charge, credit card payments, tax payments and much more.

Explained: Why gold prices are falling nowAs more and more paper currency gets printed and dumped into the financial systems around the world, there is more the danger that paper currency will lose its value. So people are queuing up to buy gold. Unlike paper money, gold cannot be created out of thin air.

Why America is the new JapanDespite the US government having low interest rates and printing a lot of money in the hope that people will spend it and revive the economy, that is clearly not happening.

September 16, 2011

Why the RBI rate hike will NOT curb inflationThere is not much that the RBI can do to address India's inflation. Solutions to the problem lie with Pranab Mukherjee and Sharad Pawar, who run the ministries of finance and agriculture, respectively.

September 15, 2011

Some golden investment tipsFinancial planning expert Sailesh Multani offered some valuable tips during a chat on rediff.com on Thursday. The trillion-dollar question nobody can answerThe United States government over the years has been spending more than what it earns. Like for the year 2011, the expected revenues for the US government stand at $2.17 trillion, whereas the expected expenditure is much higher at $3.82 trillion, leaving a difference of $1.65 trillion between what the government earns and spends.

September 12, 2011

A quick guide to online filing of tax returnsEasier access, less time consumed and agency assistance at a small cost have helped online filing of income tax returns catch up in the past couple of years. Tax experts say about one in three returns are now filed online. Experts expect this to rise to 50 per cent.

Why people hoard gold and buy it during crisesIf you hoard a metal like copper, you will be taking it away from its genuine industrial users. So in the end people hoard gold, whenever there is crisis of confidence on the paper currency.